Howard attacks BNP in Burnley

Friday, 20 February 2004 12:00 AM

Tory leader Michael Howard described the BNP as a "bunch of thugs dressed up as a political party" last night.

Speaking in the BNP heartland of Burnley, Lancashire, Mr Howard also called for tougher asylum and immigration controls in order to ease racial tensions.

The Conservative leader stated in his keynote address that he wanted to confront the BNP head on and expose their "bigotry and hatred".

He declared that it was important to improve the management of immigration and asylum in order to stop extremists using the issue.

Mr Howard said: "There are those who say that it is better to ignore their presence on the political stage - that talking about the BNP gives extremists the oxygen of publicity. I do not agree. It is important for politicians from mainstream parties to face up to extremists in any form, to tell people why we disagree with them and why they should be defeated."

A Tory government would cut asylum seekers' benefits with any cash saved put into policing, he said.

Mr Howard, the son of immigrants, highlighted his father as a beneficiary of immigration, but urged the government to impose transitional arrangements to handle migrants from new EU states. He also suggested that all asylum applications should be processed before the claimants reached the UK.

However, Mr Howard's visit was criticised by many residents of Burnley, who claimed it would exacerbate racial tensions in the town and damage attempts to move on from the race riots of three years ago. Others have accused Mr Howard of opportunism and suggested that he is attempting to woo BNP voters with promises of stricter asylum measures.

Mr Howard insisted that it was important that a mainstream party leader visit the town, as none had since the riots, adding that, "The BNP are a stain on our democratic way of life."

Phil Edwards, the British National Party's national press officer, lashed out at Mr Howard's speech, branding the Tory leader an "alien" and adding that the Tories were "paralysed by political correctness".

Since 2002 the British National Party has gained seven seats on Burnley council.

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